Link had twisted his ankle after fighting the King Dodongo. His arm was wrapped around Sakina's shoulder for support. There was soot all over the two of them. They were overheated from the lava-filled Cavern and were ready to emerge, but it was painfully difficult to leave with Link in the state he was it. They emerged finally from the Cavern into the night. Stars shone brightly in the velvet heavens.
"Blessed cold!" Sakina cried with joy.
Link smiled and leaned harder into Sakina as he relaxed. Sakina didn't mind. There was a moaning noise and a Goron uncurled from a corner and saw the children.
"So you survived? Big Brother told me to keep an eye out for you." The Goron looked suspiciously at the two. "Did you make it safe in there?"
"Yeah. We killed everything we came across, at any rate." Sakina grinned, breathing heavily.
Link nodded.
"I'll get Big Brother." The Goron rolled quickly away. Link kept his foot precariously off of the ground. Sakina suggested he sit on a nearby rock. He agreed and sank slowly down with her help. Sakina knew nothing about how to heal sprains but removed some potions from her sack, wondering if any of those might help.
"Here," Sakina took off his boot gently. He breathed in sharply but bit his lip instead of crying out. "Don't need to play the hero with me," Sakina teased. She touched the swelling of his ankle gingerly. There was a green potion they had been given in a bottle. It was supposed to be a healing salve. "Well," she muttered, "I may as well try." She poured a bit into her hand and rubbed his carefully where his ankle was swollen.
He sighed and relaxed his leg. Within a few minutes, the swelling was gone and his foot was back to normal.
"Neat," Sakina recapped the bottle and replaced it in her pack.
There was a large rolling noise from up the pass. About fifteen Gorons were rolling, rolling, rolling towards them. Sakina stood defensively in front of Link in case the Gorons thought to roll them over. But they stopped, about a foot from the two children, and unfurled. Big Brother was in the lead and such a happy expression had never before adorned his face.
"You have saved us all!" He boomed. "And for that, you have earned our respect!"
There was a cheer of assent.
"I give to you the Fire Ruby," he lifted his arms and above them floated the miraculously beautiful jewel for which they had fought so hard to earn. "And a place to stay for the night."
"Yes, please," the children chimed.
"There are many rooms in the City. All are available to you. We will be down here, eating. Be careful, though, more Gorons will be coming down and they're pretty hungry." Big Brother laughed.
Sakina and Link grinned at each other, knowing they were exhausted, and wandered back to the city.
They chose a room. In the center was a large patch of fur that served as a bed. Of course the Gorons wouldn't sleep on a bed, because they were so furry and accustomed to curling up. Being as lethargic as they were, they didn't have the mood to complain. They collapsed at once and allowed their fatigued muscles a chance to rest. Sakina clutched her pack protectively, which held both the Ruby and the Emerald now.
"I think Beamos are the worst," Link said as he drifted off into sleep.
"Really?" Sakina yawned, curling into a fetal position.
"Yeah… those blue things they shoot out hurt a lot."
"That's true. I don't want to deal with them ever again."
"Yeah…." Link's eyelids felt so heavy and soon they were shut and all else was drowned out except for his own steady breathing.
The next morning they were awoken by their hungry bellies. They feasted upon their bread and sighed with relief. As they left the City, they were greeted by various thankful Gorons and Big Brother himself.
"You two are always welcome here. Sakina, Link, you are truly part of us. Our sister and brother." And he smothered them in the tightest hug of their lives. Sakina truly thought her eyes might pop with the pressure. "Good luck on the rest of your mission."
"Thank you," Sakina gasped. He let go of them and smiled.
Link nodded, face red.
They wandered down the path back to Kakariko. The guard who had admitted them while laughing at their "foolishness" gaped at them as they came back, still dirty and worn.
"What did you do up there? Get hit by a bomb?"
Link smiled wryly.
"Yeah, that's about right." Sakina muttered. They kept going. They knew that their next mission took place with the Zoras, which lived in a watery area. The map that Impa had marked for them gave them specific locations of where to go and what to do. Link wasn't exactly thrilled to hear this.
"Look, anything's better than fire." Sakina pointed out. Link shrugged.
"After this you'll be saying the same about water." Link suggested.
"You know what? Let's stop in and see Malon and Talon at their ranch. We deserve a break." Sakina said knowingly.
Link brightened at the mention of Malon's name, which gave Sakina mixed feelings.
At the ranch, Malon was talking to a lovely palomino foal.
"Her name is Epona," Malon explained. Epona took an immediate liking to Link and Sakina. "That's a good sign," she said, "she only likes some people and I like them too." Malon smiled at Link, who blushed.
"Well, we'd better get a move on," Sakina said.
"Oh, I wanted to say thanks for helping me with my dad," Malon said quickly. "Sakina, have you ever ridden a horse?"
"No," Sakina said, looking at Epona with interest.
"One day you come back here when you have more time and you can ride one of the horses."
"Really?"
"Yeah," Malon beamed, apparently glad to have a girl her own age to talk to. There weren't any women on Lon Lon Ranch. "Come back whenever you've got the time, okay?"
"All right," Sakina smiled eagerly back at her.
They got to the river that led to Zora's Domain. They rode its current and allowed it to cleanse them of their filth.
"Hold it, you two!" There was a fat boy, eating beans or something from a bag at the gate. "What are you doing in that water?"
"Going to the Zora's Domain."
"Oh, okay." He looked at his beans. "Do you want any?"
"Any what?" Sakina held onto the side.
"Magic Beans."
"How are they magic?" Sakina asked.
"Beans are a magical fruit that make you toot!" And he let out a huge fart to demonstrate his point.
"That is rather disgusting," Sakina said, repressing a laugh.
"Hahahahhahahahaha!" The fat boy was beside himself with laughter. He rolled along the ground, tooting every so often. Frightened, the children let go of the side and continued their wayward drift. "Wait!" The boy called. "Don't sit in the river at night! It changes direction!"
Link lifted an eyebrow. "What do you think?"
"He has no reason to lie, even if he is a gassy pig." Sakina shrugged. Then they burst into irrepressible giggles.
The Zora's Domain was a delight after the overly warm caves of the Gorons. It was a watery wonderland, but the Zoras scared the heck out of them at first sight.
"Ah!" Sakina and Link jumped. A Zora smiled reassuringly back at them and dove underwater yet again. Link and Sakina allowed themselves to fall into the water. They swam around until they found a sign that explained where the King was.
When they saw him, they were initially terrified. He was as large as a whale and had these toothpick legs. They were afraid that, like the Gorons, he traveled by rolling and might crush them for their request.
"How can I help you?" He asked dolefully.
"Well, your highness, we are in need of the Zora's Sapphire in order to save Hyrule," Sakina said slowly.
"I can't give it to you," he sighed.
"Figures," Sakina muttered. "What do we have to do to get it?"
"No, no, no, no, no, it's not like that. My daughter is the one that has it. And…" he sighed again, "she hasn't returned from Lord Jabu Jabu yet. I am horribly worried." Then his eyes brightened. "Would you be willing to rescue the Princess Ruto?"
Sakina looked to Link, who stepped forward. "Yes, your highness."
"Excellent," he smiled authentically at them and began the long journey to the other side of his throne. Not that the distance was huge by any means, but the fact that he was so out of practice for moving. When he finally moved out of the way, they were admitted to an irritating mission that made water seem like a curse.
"I can get myself out of here!" Princess Ruto insisted yet again. "I don't need a couple of kids to save me!"
"You're a kid," Sakina reminded her angrily. "And believe me, we wouldn't be saving you if we didn't need that damned Saph-."
"Sakina!" Link hissed. "Look, Majesty, please allow us to take you out of here." He said smoothly. Sakina rolled her eyes.
"Well, if you really want to save me, you'll have to carry me out." Princess Ruto said, sticking her face into the air.
"You must be joking." Sakina growled. But Princess Ruto was not joking. She took a cross-legged position on the ground… rather Jabu's belly… and crossed her arms expectantly.
"I'm waiting!" She whined. Link shrugged at Sakina and picked Ruto up. It was up to Sakina to kill any monsters that threatened their lives. Luckily they lost Ruto about halfway along and were able to help Jabu Jabu out and pick Ruto back up later. She was perfectly indignant about being left behind. They left Lord Jabu Jabu's belly much later with Ruto's thanks.
"I could have done it myself," she continued, "but since you did and my fool of a father promised you this Sapphire, I guess I'll give it to you." Then she giggled, throwing Link and Sakina into the depths of confusion as Sakina stuffed it irritably into her bag. "But my mother always said the man that I married could be the only one to have it. So I guess we're going to get married!" She said to Link. To both Sakina and Link's horror, Ruto kissed Link and ran off giggling.
"Ugh!" Link wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
"You're going to marry a Zora! What will she say when you stay this age forever?" Sakina teased as they left.
"Hopefully she'll get over that stupid thought," Link said. Night had risen and the river indeed changed directions and pushed the children back down into the entrance. The owl they had met earlier waited for them, to their shock.
"Well, well, how you two have grown!" He hooted.
"No, Link is still shorter than me and I haven't grown an inch." Sakina said, looking at Link. Link was about an inch shorter than she was, which was a great source of pride for her.
The owl hooted and turned his head upside-down.
"What lies in wait for you may terrify you. I hope you have strength enough for what is about to come." Then the owl flew off without another word.
"Why does he keep doing that?" Sakina asked Link.
"I don't know. Maybe he's just a crazy owl or something." Link shrugged. But they both knew that wasn't true.